Sporting Road

Fleur De Sel de Camargue

Our favorite salt for cooking or for seasoning is the French Fleur De Sel de Camargue. Fleur De Sel de Camargue is hand raked and harvested in the Brittany salt flats of France. The name Fleur De Sel comes from the aroma of violets that develops as the salt dries. Only the premium, top layer of the salt bed is used. Each signature container is sealed with a cork top and signed by the Salt Raker who harvested it. We keep a salt pig or small jar of this by the stove, for use in cooking. And, after allowing to dry out of the tin for a few days, it is perfect to add to our salt grinder, for seasoning as well. We use it on everything. As it is very salty tasting, a little bit goes a long way, which also reduces your sodium intake, as you need less to add a "salty" flavor to any dish. It is readily sourced from Salt Works or gourmet grocers.

By Sporting Road|October 26th, 2012|Categories: Cuisine|Comments Off

Bodhi’s Mountain
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Bodhi’s Mountain

Bodhi was my first bird dog. My first bird dog, not my dad's that is. As a Bodhisattva should do, he graciously gave up his path to enlightenment so that others may attain it, mostly so that I may strive to attain enlightenment. We returned to Bodhi's favorite spot for blue grouse this year, to find many others already hunting his hallowed grounds. Being one who doesn't like change, this had me reeling wondering what to do. We quickly found change and decided, with considerable trepidation to hunt a spot down the road to his and my favorite spot, a spot which we had never been to before, but was at least free from other hunters. After all, this is public land, they had as much right to be there as did we, and they had beat us to the spot on Opening Day of Grouse Season, so it was all done fair and square. Remy, Bodhi's grandson, didn't seem to mind, as he is still a pup himself, he didn't know any better, or at least he tried to persuade me so. I, on the other hand, knew better---that this spot could not be as good as our favorite spot which we had enjoyed for so many years. We headed off up the mountain, but at least it was the same mountain as Bodhi's Spot was on, so who knew what might await us. To our surprise, we found grouse. A lot of grouse. Dusky grouse (formerly known as Blue Grouse) here and dusky grouse there. And we made a new spot our own, it would never be Bodhi's Spot, but this one became Remy's spot. Perhaps Remy will lay there some day in

By Sporting Road|October 26th, 2012|Categories: Wingshooting|Comments Off

I See You
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I See You

"I See You (Theme from Avatar)" (also shortened as "I See You") is a pop ballad performed by British singer Leona Lewis. But sometimes "I see you," just means that, it is not a song but just a question--something of a koan you might say. When you honestly offer "I can see you," it may mean nothing more than that, and horses seem to be born with that gift for honestly returning the favor, seeing us for what we are, nothing more nothing less. If you are kind, they see that. If you are mean, they see that too. If you have good intentions, they see that. If you have bad intentions, they see that too. Sometimes we have to just look each other in the eye first before asking anything of the other and see what there is to be seen of the other, if it is all good then we can progress from there with more questions and the request for more answers. We hope that all of us on two legs can come to see that which four-legged animals seem to take for granted. Children also seem to have the same gift, one that is often hard to accept by adults, as the answers remain unknown until the question is honestly asked from the heart. I find myself at the same cross-roads, as I always try to be planned out years in advance, but, perhaps for the first time, I am attempting to look at the others around me and simply state, "I see you," and I hope that they can honestly see me in return, without an answer in mind. I hope to offer the same in return, perhaps for the

By Sporting Road|October 26th, 2012|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Falconry
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Falconry

My friend Hal Webster, was co-author of one of the most famous books on falconry with Frank Beebe), entitled North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks, was in his 70's when he introduced me to some falconry friends many years back, including Stu Hutchinson, who took me hunting with falcons and hawks. I had the initial idea of grandeur that a falcon might replace my side-by-side in a poetic sort of way, but I quickly realized in hunting ducks with one of his Master Falconer friends that this was real work, and a lifetime of dedication to the birds they fly and live with, year round. I can't wait to see them soar again, but this is not a something that one takes up casually, as I quickly realized it involves a life-time of education, dedication, breeding, and training. We made several trips with Hal for fly fishing, wingshooting and dog training. He passed in June 2019, after a long life of adventure, living into his late 90's. For falconry supplies: www.westernsporting.com

By Sporting Road|October 26th, 2012|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Yerba Mate
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Yerba Mate

Our new friends from Argentina are going home, as summer polo season is about over here in the West and they left with us a special gift this year, a matero (a bag for holding a the mate gourd, the yerba mate and a thermos). The also left a leather covered mate gourd, which we added to our small collection, but this mate is the one we reach for every morning now, as it is the perfect size and it is of the best quality. Yerba mate is consumed all over South America in place of tea or coffee, or in addition to it. It has an earthy taste, like green tea, though sometimes slightly more bitter taste due to the high tannin content of the leaves, which are a member of the holly family. We were introduced to it at polo from the Argentines, and I love it. Oprah's doctor promotes it as the only healthy caffinated beverage and studies seem to indicate it significantly reduces cholesterol, especially when brewed with hot water, but not boiling, as is the traditional way. Yerba mate con polo, with a higher amount of sticks and stems, will typically have more of a woodsy taste than pure leaf mate. Some add sugar and milk, particularly for children. You add hot water (never boiling) to the yerba mate, which is traditionally drunk from a gourd with a bombilla straw, and as the tea and be steeped multiple times, it is perfect for sharing with friends. Each cup is consumed and then the gourd is passed back to the maker of the tea for a refill of hot water and then it is passed on to the next drinker, when

By Sporting Road|July 26th, 2012|Categories: polo, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Eat Like a Wild Man

This collection is some of the wildest, most delicious wild game and fish recipes that "Sports Afield" magazine has published over the lasts 110 years, lifelong food connoisseur and cookbook author Rebecca Gray has selected and infused a collection of wonderful old standards with her own culinary wizardry. We love this cookbook! If you are looking to harvest your own wild food in Colorado, this site is great www.wildfoodgirl.com and she has a list of Colorado plants you can wild forage.

By Sporting Road|June 23rd, 2012|Categories: Book Reviews, Recipes|Comments Off

Tenkara

Tenkara has it s roots in the mountains of Japan, in the practical approach of the subsistence fisherman and the pared-down efficiency of the professional. It places a premium on accurate presentation. The original tenkara fisherman used silk lines and bare hooks. Flies become high fashion and by 1703 gold foil was even being used. Ayu hooks are now barbless and eyeless. The author discusses bamboo rods to the Tenkara Ayu and Diawa rods. Dr. Ichihashi or Ichigaki's bamboo rods are discussed and from the Internet posts on sites such as www.tenkarausa.com they look amazing. The book discusses level lines to tapered lines and furled lines to fluorocarbon lines. Spools and cast holders are detailed, as are knots from the traditional girth hitch to attach the furled line to the rod tip or simple overhand knots around the standing part of the line to form a o around the lilian through the loop twice and tighten.

By Sporting Road|June 22nd, 2012|Categories: Book Reviews, Fishing|Comments Off

Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time

Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time is an admirably catchy title. The recipes for Braised Pheasant Legs with Cabbage and Grapes, Chukar Pie, Quail en Papillote, Pheasant Tagine, Duck Confit, Fireplace Venison Tenderloin, Chorizo Sausage, Jugged Hare, Game Bird Stock to Everyday Dry Rub and tips on aging game, should have been all right up my alley. But, somehow I couldn't get that into the book, nor the recipes beyond the initial appearances which are good. Maybe I was just in bad mood, as it has all the right elements, including the author being a classically trained chef and devoted hunter. Maybe it was the lack of pictures of the recipes. Maybe it was the lack of wild, edible foods. But, we can agree that, "Whatever your journey, wherever you find it, may it be a wild one." And the on a Moveable Hunt, harkens to Hemingway and I particularly like the Waiting for Pate in the Floatant chapter. And, who can't appreciate the Jose Ortega y Gasset quotes, such as "One does not hunt in order to kill, on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted." I wanted to love this book from the cover and the title, but maybe it just requires catching me on a better night, so I am avoiding any star-based review, as I like the concept of it and hope to hear from others who really enjoyed it, as I really want to like it.

By Sporting Road|June 22nd, 2012|Categories: Book Reviews, Recipes, Wingshooting|Comments Off

The Frugal Fly Fisherman

The Frugal Fly Fisherman by Patrick Straub is a title that I would love just from the cover. But, in getting into the merits of the work, it is bit long on theory and short on content. It recommends saving money where possible with brands such as Redington, but at the same time recommending you invest as much as you can afford in a quality rod. This doesn't seem to help the newbie angler with actual recommendations. I understand the concept of not promoting brands over concepts, but it still leaves the angler with the dilemma of "what to buy?" I liked the quotes, particularly of Norman Maclean from A River Runs Through It, such as, "My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things--trout as well as eternal salvation--come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy." From mentions of silk lines and split cane to discussions of Gore-Tex and carbon-fibers, the book covers it all. There is certainly an art to getting the most for your dollar. The recommendation to avoid The 5-Weight Shootout, and the lists and focusing on disk drag versus click and prawl, among other discussions, are all well on point. As well as the fact that tying your own flies and making do it yourself trips will save money in the long run, but it doesn't overcome the standard advice of 5-weight rods for everything and what flies are most effective, which misses the mark of a died in the wool frugal fisherman who benefits from other's experiences.

By Sporting Road|June 22nd, 2012|Categories: Fishing, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Riding for Ladies and Ladies on Horseback

Two great free online books from the Project Gutenberg. Riding for Ladies - 1891 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39610/39610-h/39610-h.htm#IV Complete with fetching illustrations of appropriate habits. Ladies on Horseback, 1881 This one includes chapters on hunting: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39501/39501-h/39501-h.htm

By Sporting Road|June 20th, 2012|Categories: Book Reviews, Foxhunting|Comments Off

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